woodward



H. WOODWARD. Carbureting Apparatus.

Paiented Aug. 18, 1,868.

Warvqsses N. PETERS. Pho o-Lhhognpher, Wllhmgton. D. C.

' parts.

UNITED STATES PATET OFFICE.

H. WOODWARD, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATUS FOR CARBURETING.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 81,238, dated August 18, 1868.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY WOODWARD, of London, in the county of Middlesex, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for (larburetiug Air and Gases; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention has reference to the method of carbureting air, and of increasing the illuminating properties of ordinary coal or other gas, by impregnating them with benzole or other volatile hydrocarbon fluids; and it consists in an improved apparatus for effecting this result, my object being to produce a cheap and portable apparatus, which shall be secure, as far as practicable, against all danger of explosion, and at the same time provide, in a small space, all the means necessary to produce a gas fitted for all heating or illuminating purposes.

The nature of this invention can best be understood by reference to the accompanyin g drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved apparatus, with the side broken away so as to show the arrangement of the internal Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 represents a modified form of the diaphragms upon which the wicking is'held.

The carbureting-vessel A, of cylindrical form, is divided by a horizontal partition, a, into two chambers, the lower one, b, of which is intended to contain the benzole or other carbureting-fluid. A tube, 0, provided with a screw-cap, d, passes from the top of the carbureter through the partition a, and extends down nearly to the bottom of the vessel. Through this tube the carbureting liquid is introduced, and its arrangement, as described, is such as to remove, to a great extent, all danger of explosion, which might otherwise arise when the tube is opened in order. to fill the carbureter.

In the upper chamber e of the carbureter is arranged a series of curved diaphragms or bridges, f, concentric, or nearly so, with the cylinder and with each other. Upon each diaphragm is spread wicking g, or other suitquantity of liquid in the vessel.

able porous and absorbent material, the ends of which extend down through the partition ,7

a into the liquid-chamber b, where they are confined by clasps h to the side ot-the vessel, and are immersed in the liquid. The liquid, by capillary attraction, is taken up by the wickin g, which is thus kept saturated throughout its entire length. 4

At the points where the different layers of wickiug pass through the partition, and into the lower or liquid chamber, perforated plates 0 are placed tangentially, or nearly so, to the bridges, leaving just room enough between each bridge and plate for the passage of the wicking. When the wicking takes up the liquid it swells and packs the space between each bridge and its plates,-so as to prevent any communication between the annular spaces j and the liquid-chamber.

The spaces between the diaphragms f constitute semi-annular chambers or spaces j, as will be seen by reference to Fig. 2. Into the outer space or chamber a pipe or tube, 2, opens, and a second pipe, k, on the opposite side of the carbureter, is extended so as to open into the inner chamber j. Through one of these pipes-preferably the outer one, t'-the air or gas to be charged with the benzole enters, and through the other the air or gas, after being fully impregnated, is discharged, the air. being driven into the carburetor by a suitable blowing apparatus.

' The arrangement of these diaphragms and the wicking is productive of many advantages, for the making isspread and held flrmly'and securely in place, while at the same time, in a small space, a very great extent of surface of the saturated wicking is exposed, so that the air or gas to be carbureted, in passing between the pipes i and It, will be thoroughly and efiectivel y charged with the volatile fluid. The diaphragms may be corrugated and placed more closely together, as shown in Fig. 3, so as to confine between them the absorbent material 9, and thus even a greater extent. of evaporating-surface may be obtained than represented in Fig. 2.

The arrangement of the diaphragms and wiekin g also admits of the employment within the carbureter of a float, for indicating the This float is located centrally within the vessel, where, owing to the form of the diaphragms and manner of arranging the wickin g, it interferes with neither, and diminishes to an inconsiderable extent only the surface of the wicking exposed to the air or gas. It is composed of the hollow float l, of metal or other suitable material, provided with a tubular stem, m, which traverses the partition to, and is held in a cylindrical bearing, a, extending through the diaphragms f. The upper end of the tubular stem at passes up through the top of the carbureting-vessel into a dome, p, attached to the vessel, in one or both sides of which glass, or other suitable transparent material, 8, is placed. Through the window thus formed the upper end of the stem m is visible, and, according to its elevation, which may be graduated upon the glass, the quantity of fluid in the carbureter can at once be determined.

It will be noticed that, owing to the arrangement of the plates '0 and bridges f, the gas in the three outer annular chambers j cannot by any possibility enter the chambers b, so that if the gas in any of these chambers should by accident become inflamed, fire would not be communicated to the liquid. The diaphragms f act also in the same manner as the gauze in a safety-lamp, preventing tire, for instance, in the outer annular chamber j from being comm unicated to the next. The innermost space j, which contains the perfected gas, is therefore trebly protected, and consequently there can be little danger in forming the opening in the partition a for the passage of the float-stem m, whose tubular bearing a, traversing the bridges f, shuts off all communication in that direction between the inner space j and the annular chambers surrounding it.

In this manner, while all the devices and materials needed to perfectly and efl'ectually carburet the air are arranged in the least possible space, and in a cylindrical vessel which will take up but little room, and can be conveniently and readily used in any locality, I am enabled, in effect, to isolate the liquid from the chamber in which the gas is generated, and to protect it from that danger of explosion which exists when the carburetingliquid and gas are held in one chamber or in chambers communicating freely with one another.

Having now described my invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be carried into effect, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The arrangement, in a cylindrical carbureting-vessel, of a partition dividing said vessel into an upper and lower chamber, in combination with concentric perforated bridges or diaphragms in the upper chamber, as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In combination with the arrangement of chambers and concentric bridges, as claimed under the preceding clause, wieking passing over said bridges, through the partition, and into the lower chamber, substantially as se forth.

3. The combination with the bridges and dividing-partition of plates arranged tangentially, or nearly so, to said bridges, and forming with the wicking a packing-joint, as and for the purposes set forth.

4. In combination with the arrangement of chambers and concentric bridges, as claimed in the preceding clauses, an air-inlet pipe opening into the annular space formed by the casing and the outermost bridge, and a gaseduction pipe leading from the space between the dividin g-partition and the innermost bridge out of the carbureter, as and for the purposes set forth.

5. Thecarbureting-vessel and float contained therein, in combination with the wicking, or equivalent material, and curved bridges or diaphragms, upon which the same is spread and held, under the arrangement and for operation as herein shown and specified.

6. The combination with a carbureter, substantially as herein described, of an inlet'tube for the carbureting-liquid, arranged to traverse both the upper and lower chambers, and terminating at or near the bottom of the latter, as shown and set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification before two subscribing witnesses.

Witnesses: H. WOODWARD.

M. BAILEY, A. PoLLoK. 

